Vermont Attorney Suspended for Taking Settlement Check from Firm

A Vermont lawyer who represented her wife in a discrimination case that settled was suspended for 15 days by the state’s highest court for secretly taking the settlement check home.

Stacey Adamski’s “dishonest and deceitful actions toward members of her firm, intended in large part to maximize her own financial interests at the firm’s expense,” call into question her fitness to practice law, the Vermont Supreme Court’s Jan. 24 opinion said.

Adamski’s wife’s case settled for $54,000. A firm partner indicated the firm’s cut would be its standard one-third share, amounting to $18,000, the court said.

But Adamski thought the firm should only get $8,000, according to the court. She allegedly told another firm attorney, “they’re not going to get my money.”

Once the check arrived at the office, Adamski took it home with her. The next day she deleted the electronic copy as well as a cover letter from opposing counsel from the firm’s database, the court said.

Adamski’s firm ultimately discovered what happened and suspended her but she immediately resigned.

A Vermont professional responsibility board investigation concluded that she’d acted dishonestly and deceitfully, in violation of ethics rules. It recommended a public reprimand.

But the state supreme court thought a harsher sanction was warranted.

Adamaski “had a duty to be transparent and forthcoming in dealing with her colleagues, particularly given that her own financial interest as the client’s spouse conflicted with the firm’s interest,” it said.

The violation of this duty, the harm “inflicted on the public and the profession,” and the aggravating factors, including her selfish motives and “substantial experience in the practice of law,” warrant a 15-day suspension, the court concluded.

The case is In re Adamski, 2020 BL 31938, Vt., No. 2019-035, 1/24/20.